Loose leaf binder



Sept. 3, 1935. J. c. DAWSON LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Jan. 12, 1934 Patented Sept. 3, 1935 2,013,552 Loose LEAF BINDER James O. Dawson, Webster Groves, Mo., assignor to Elma N. Dawson, Webster Groves, Mo.

Application January 12, 1934, Serial No. 706,397

4 Claims.

The invention relates to the so-called wire arch type of binders, in which the mating sheet-carrying prongs are mounted on toggle Wires which are housed within a spring plate.

As these metal parts have heretofore been made, the end pairs of prongs are carried at the ends of the toggle wires, and it has been difficult to apply booster levers to such devices because the ends or" the spring plate extend a considerable distance beyond the ends of the wires, and the load end of the lever has consequently been longer than the power end.

The object of the present invention is to provide for an extension of the wires approximately to the ends of the plate, and to so shape their end portions that they may be engaged by the booster lever.

An embodiment of the invention is hereinafter described, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a view in perspective of the completed metal;

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views on the lines 2--2 and 33, respectively, of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the booster lever and an end of the spring plate, the parts being unassembled.

The spring plate Ill is, generally, of ordinary form, being transversely arched and having inturned margins or flanges, as shown at H, and being apertured, as shown at 12, to accommodate the leaf-holding arch prongs i3. These prongs are, as usual, carried by a pair of toggle wires M, which are pivotally engaged within the marginal portions I l of the plate. The leaf-carrying arches may be as many in number as desired, three being shown. The prongs l3 of all of these arches are attached to the toggle wires, preferably by weldmg.

Intermediate of each pair of arches the wires M are arched inwardly, as shown at l5, it, the apexes of the arches pivotally engaging as a toggle joint, as shown at ll. The end portions I8, 19, of the wires It are prolonged beyond the end arches, extending approximately to the ends of the plate Iii, and the extreme ends of these wires are turned inwardly, as shown at 20, 2 I, and approximately meet at the center line of the metal and together form a bearing bar for engagement by the load end 22 of a booster lever 23.

The plate ii! is formed of a blank, the end portions 24 of which are prolonged beyond the marginal portions which constitute the flanges l i, and are turned downwardly to close the ends of the metal. This flap 24 is centrally apertured, the recess extending beyond the line of fold.

The booster lever 23 is L-shaped, and is housed within the end portion of the plate It, its power end being laterally notched, as shown at 25, 25, to receive the side margins of the recess in the plate end 24 and be thereby permanently held in operative position. Force being applied to tilt the power end of the lever backwardly, it fulcrums against the upper portion of the plate end 24, its toe 22 exerting upward pressure upon the ends 28! and 2i of the toggle wires, the upper margins of the notches 25 continuing to ride on the upper face of the arch while the lever moves the necessary distance to spread the prongs is.

The load end of the lever being L-shaped and its lateral arm being downwardly inclined, as shown in Fig. 3, the initial movement of the lever has a cam action beneath the inturned ends, 2B, 2! of the wires; and as the movement continues the leverage increases, the load end of the lever being in effect progressively shortened up to the time the toggle arms pass center.

The described construction provides for the use of a short toggle lever of ample power, and it furthermore provides for the accommodation of an attaching rivet which may be entered through the aperture 26 in the plate ill, and located between the end arch and the end of the plate.

The term metal as here used is the trade name for the metal parts, of various forms, of loose leaf binders.

I claim as my invention 1. A loose leaf metal comprising a spring arch plate, a pair of prong-carrying wires in pivotal engagement with the marginal portions of the plate and having toggle engagement intermediate of their ends, the ends of the wires extending approximately to the ends of the plate and being turned inwardly, a booster lever fulcrumed on one end of the plate and engaging the corresponding inturned ends of the wires, and sheetcarrying prongs carried by the wires.

2. A loose leaf metal comprising a spring arch plate having inturned margins, a pair of prongcarrying wires pivotally engaging the inturned margins of the plate and being arched inwardly for toggle engagement, sheet-carrying prongs fixed to the wires, the wires being prolonged beyond such prongs and approximately to the ends of the plate and having their ends inturned, and booster levers pivotally mounted on the end portions of the plate and engaging under such inturned ends.

3. A loose leaf metal comprising a spring arch plate having an end of the arch extending downwardly and vertically and centrally slotted, the slot extending into the arch, a booster lever of greater width than the slot and having marginal recesses for receiving the edges of the slot, toggle wires pivotally engaging the margins of the plate and having their ends inturned to overlie the load end of the lever, and sheet-carrying arches mounted on the wires intermediate of 10 their ends.

plate having the ends of the arch extending downwardly and vertically and centrally slotted, the slots extending into the arch, a booster lever at each end of the plate of greater width than the slot and having marginal recesses for receiving the edges of the slot, toggle wires pivotally engaging the margins of the plate and having their ends inturned to overlie the load end of the levers, and sheet-carrying arches mounted on the wires intermediate of their ends.

JAMES C. DAWSON. 

